USA Today Article on Ben McLemore Growing up Poor ...

[QMany]

I admit, I am a KU hater. Grew up around a lot of ignorant KU basketball fans.

Many friends have been posting this USA Today story and it is all over my Facebook news feed.

Kansas' Ben McLemore fights through poverty to NCAA's center stage

http://www.usatoday....01/?sf9993444=1

I'll open this up for discussion:

Isn't this the story of MANY of the kids from inner-cities that go on to play NCAA basketball?

McLemore says his mother is unemployed. He says they are struggling financially. He says he tries not to think about that much and tries, sometimes futilely, to maintain focus on school and basketball.

How much money are all of those tattoos worth?

 

[Husker John]

I admit, I am a KU hater. Grew up around a lot of ignorant KU basketball fans.

Many friends have been posting this USA Today story and it is all over my Facebook news feed.

Kansas' Ben McLemore fights through poverty to NCAA's center stage

http://www.usatoday....01/?sf9993444=1

I'll open this up for discussion:

Isn't this the story of MANY of the kids from inner-cities that go on to play NCAA basketball?

McLemore says his mother is unemployed. He says they are struggling financially. He says he tries not to think about that much and tries, sometimes futilely, to maintain focus on school and basketball.

How much money are all of those tattoos worth?

Good Point ......

 

[Landlord]

Just because this is the story of many kids doesn't mean it should be lessened or cheapened; in fact, it should be celebrated. It's a great and wonderful thing that these kids have a chance to escape the hand they've been dealt.

I'm sure his tattoos cost a lot of money. So what? How much do the things that you own and don't need but enjoy cost? Just because he (or his parents) spend the excess money they're blessed with in different ways than you doesn't make them less, inferior, or deserving of being criticized.

If you're going to grill this kid because he spends money on tattoos when his family is poor, then realize that 99% of the world looks at you with disgust and literally gets sick to their stomach when they see the amount of excess you live in.

 

[QMany]

Just because this is the story of many kids doesn't mean it should be lessened or cheapened; in fact, it should be celebrated. It's a great and wonderful thing that these kids have a chance to escape the hand they've been dealt.

I'm sure his tattoos cost a lot of money. So what? How much do the things that you own and don't need but enjoy cost? Just because he (or his parents) spend the excess money they're blessed with in different ways than you doesn't make them less, inferior, or deserving of being criticized.

If you're going to grill this kid because he spends money on tattoos when his family is poor, then realize that 99% of the world looks at you with disgust and literally gets sick to their stomach when they see the amount of excess you live in.

I agree with your first point. It should be celebrated. I wish we saw more stories like this more often, not just from star athletes.

Your second point, I disagree. If my mother was unemployed and had sacrificed for me growing up, when I did acquire money, I wouldn't spend it on a full body of tattoos. I just found it ironic that the entire story is about the hardships they faced and are still facing, and the pictures of him feature thousands of dollars in ink.

McLemore's arms are festooned with tattoos...

Or is he getting those free?

I say this half jokingly.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Just because this is the story of many kids doesn't mean it should be lessened or cheapened; in fact, it should be celebrated. It's a great and wonderful thing that these kids have a chance to escape the hand they've been dealt.

I'm sure his tattoos cost a lot of money. So what? How much do the things that you own and don't need but enjoy cost? Just because he (or his parents) spend the excess money they're blessed with in different ways than you doesn't make them less, inferior, or deserving of being criticized.

If you're going to grill this kid because he spends money on tattoos when his family is poor, then realize that 99% of the world looks at you with disgust and literally gets sick to their stomach when they see the amount of excess you live in.

This is a little absurd. The things I own but dont need, i payed for AFTER putting food on the table and clothes on our backs, a car in the drive, a roof over our head, shoes on our feet, etc etc etc. I didnt buy my race parts and truck and huge tv and such and THEN say "sh#t, I'm broke and poor". Now, it's also a moot comparison, because obviously the money saved on a few tatoos was NOT going to pull this bunch out of poverty, but it wouldntve hurt either. It's not crap to see either side of this point of view. I happen to agree with Q however. I question bigtime the priorities of those who play the poor and troubled card but strut around acting like fools and have hundreds of dollars of tatoos and jewelry hangin off their body. I'm not talkin down on this one man in particular. He is using his abilities to make things right. But I'm also not going to disagree with questioning any of his previous priorities for reasons already mentioned.

 

[Landlord]

Just because this is the story of many kids doesn't mean it should be lessened or cheapened; in fact, it should be celebrated. It's a great and wonderful thing that these kids have a chance to escape the hand they've been dealt.

I'm sure his tattoos cost a lot of money. So what? How much do the things that you own and don't need but enjoy cost? Just because he (or his parents) spend the excess money they're blessed with in different ways than you doesn't make them less, inferior, or deserving of being criticized.

If you're going to grill this kid because he spends money on tattoos when his family is poor, then realize that 99% of the world looks at you with disgust and literally gets sick to their stomach when they see the amount of excess you live in.

This is a little absurd. The things I own but dont need, i payed for AFTER putting food on the table and clothes on our backs, a car in the drive, a roof over our head, shoes on our feet, etc etc etc. I didnt buy my race parts and truck and huge tv and such and THEN say "sh#t, I'm broke and poor". Now, it's also a moot comparison, because obviously the money saved on a few tatoos was NOT going to pull this bunch out of poverty, but it wouldntve hurt either. It's not crap to see either side of this point of view. I happen to agree with Q however. I question bigtime the priorities of those who play the poor and troubled card but strut around acting like fools and have hundreds of dollars of tatoos and jewelry hangin off their body. I'm not talkin down on this one man in particular. He is using his abilities to make things right. But I'm also not going to disagree with questioning any of his previous priorities for reasons already mentioned.

As I was trying to get at, it's all relative.

I know mothers in Africa (like, personally know), that would question your and my priorities far more than you would ever question his.

 

[Count 'Bility]

Just because this is the story of many kids doesn't mean it should be lessened or cheapened; in fact, it should be celebrated. It's a great and wonderful thing that these kids have a chance to escape the hand they've been dealt.

I'm sure his tattoos cost a lot of money. So what? How much do the things that you own and don't need but enjoy cost? Just because he (or his parents) spend the excess money they're blessed with in different ways than you doesn't make them less, inferior, or deserving of being criticized.

If you're going to grill this kid because he spends money on tattoos when his family is poor, then realize that 99% of the world looks at you with disgust and literally gets sick to their stomach when they see the amount of excess you live in.

This is a little absurd. The things I own but dont need, i payed for AFTER putting food on the table and clothes on our backs, a car in the drive, a roof over our head, shoes on our feet, etc etc etc. I didnt buy my race parts and truck and huge tv and such and THEN say "sh#t, I'm broke and poor". Now, it's also a moot comparison, because obviously the money saved on a few tatoos was NOT going to pull this bunch out of poverty, but it wouldntve hurt either. It's not crap to see either side of this point of view. I happen to agree with Q however. I question bigtime the priorities of those who play the poor and troubled card but strut around acting like fools and have hundreds of dollars of tatoos and jewelry hangin off their body. I'm not talkin down on this one man in particular. He is using his abilities to make things right. But I'm also not going to disagree with questioning any of his previous priorities for reasons already mentioned.

As I was trying to get at, it's all relative.

I know mothers in Africa (like, personally know), that would question your and my priorities far more than you would ever question his.

I'm sure they would. Not arguing here because I think we're agreeing to disagree-or something of the sort. But I bet if we told most to all of the world what we consider to be "poverty", then yes, we would probably be laughed right out of the conversation. My point is that it is ok to criticize him for spending hundreds on tatoos when they are poor and troubled and not ok to criticize me/anyone for spending a ton on extra goodies AFTER the bare essentials have been met. That is the difference in the order of priorities. Not to mention, I've earned my way into the position to do so. Have I been given an easier path? Yes, and that's not up for debate either. But, there is nothing completely standing in the way of anyone from bettering their situation to the point of such being impossible. That is why you'll never really hear full sympathy from me on stories like this. There's always a few extra things you can do to better your situation.

 

[QMany]

As I was trying to get at, it's all relative.

I know mothers in Africa (like, personally know), that would question your and my priorities far more than you would ever question his.

Agreed, but I'm also not spoon-feeding US Today all of my hardships while eating with a silver spoon.

 

[tschu]

Mehhhhhh...pick your spots QMany. At this point he is probably spending money because he knows he'll have millions in a few months. The whole point is that he grew up in poverty. Which isn't really that interesting or unique of a story and kind of surprises me that USA Today ran it, but then again people love boring human interest stories for whatever reason.